A fine and attractive pair of antique gold wire frame spectacles dating from 1890, featuring very pleasing oval lenses and a scroll-type bridge characteristic of quality eyewear from this era. The left temple is hallmarked “A.L. & Co.” — a maker’s mark that speaks to the careful craftsmanship invested in even the most slender components of these elegant frames.
The frame features two straight temples of the pin-in-slot type. The temples, while different from each other — one with a larger tear-shaped opening at its end and the other with a tiny hole — appear to be original to the frame, reflecting the practical individuality of hand-finished optical work in the late Victorian period. The scroll bridge is a classic design of this era, lending the frame a graceful, refined profile.
The lenses are convex glass, each of approximately +1.00 diopter — the power a typical person in their forties would reach for when reading. An optician could of course replace them with lenses of any prescription. This is a wearable as well as highly collectible piece, combining genuine historical provenance with a timeless oval form that remains surprisingly contemporary in appearance.
A lovely example of late 19th century American optical frame craftsmanship in fine wearable condition.
